IBM Small and Medium Enterprise Tool Kit…
LaunchMemphis is busy tying up loose ends at the end of the year and finalizing the schedule for 2010, however, we wanted to make you aware of a great set of resources from IBM. “The SME Toolkit, brought to you by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and IBM is designed especially for Asian, Black, Hispanic, Native American and Women-owned businesses with essential business tools. Whether you have five minutes or five hours, you can find the tools, content, resources, advice, mentoring and more to serve your needs.” There are great links to a vast array of topics, including: Accounting & Finance, Marketing & Sales, and Business Planning, to name a few. Please follow the link here. We hope 2009 was a great year for you and that 2010 is even better! Thanks for helping LaunchMemphis! We are truly grateful for all your support.
Escalator Pitch Competition on November 21st!
LaunchMemphis is pleased to present the first ever Escalator Pitch Competition on Saturday, November 21st with a prize package valued at over $10K! What: The LaunchMemphis Escalator Pitch Competition is a new twist on the elevator pitch idea. Each finalist will ride up an escalator with a judge to deliver a brief and relevant pitch about their company. Eight contestants have already been selected via a contest on You Tube. Three additional walk-on contestants will be selected before the finals begin and anyone representing a company with 25 or fewer employees is eligible to compete! The grand prize winner will be selected by the judges once all 11 finalists have competed. Where: Holiday Inn, University of Memphis, 3700 Central Avenue. The University of Memphis Holiday Inn has won the Torchbearer Award for seven consecutive years for excellence in customer satisfaction among Holiday Inns. When: Saturday, November 21, 2009, from 11:00 am. To 12:30 pm. All contestants (both walk-on and those selected via the You Tube contest) should arrive for registration at 10:30 am sharp! Cost: $20 Entry Fee for walk-on contestants – cash only. Those selected from You Tube Contest have already paid their fees. No advanced registration required for walk-on competition. Simply arrive at 10:30 am the day of the event to register. Prize Package: Contestants will compete to win a $10,000 marketing package including a $1,000 cash prize. The prize package includes: Marketing Research from the Marketing & Research Counsel Logo/ Identity/ Print Design from Second to Nunn
Fall 2009 Season of Entrepreneurship
This is the Fall 2009 Schedule for LaunchMemphis. In keeping with our goal to support entrepreneurial action in the Mid-South, we have a unique set of events planned – a combination you won’t get anywhere else. We hope you will join us in growing a rich community and building new business ventures. This Fall Note that Global Entrepreneurship Week is November 16th through 22nd and we will have a series of concentrated events together with other entrepreneurship support organizations in our city. Boot Camp: Build and Refine Your Business Plan August 15th, 2009 and August 22nd, 2009 Location: EmergeMemphis For more information: http://www.launchmemphis.com/2009/07/21/launchmemphis-bootcamp-august-15-22/ For registration: http://bootcamp2009.eventbrite.com/ The LaunchMemphis Boot Camp is an intense, two session course in entrepreneurship that will dramatically boost your chances of seeing your dream become a reality. Professionals will offer advice on all aspects of starting, successfully running, and gaining funding for your new venture. Join us at EmergeMemphis for two exciting days that will answer all your questions and put you on the right track for success in whatever business you are trying to start! Startup Weekend Reunion August 27th, 2009 5:30pm to 7:30pm Location: EmergeMemphis, 516 Tennessee Street, Memphis, TN 38103 Tickets and Information: http://suwmem2reunion.eventbrite.com/ This is a chance for past participants of StartUp Weekend I & II to mix, mingle and hear updates on ideas generated during SUW. Expect updates from: The Roll Play, Mark’s Menus, Rezzie, GameWav Media, and CheezyWeezy. Others in the community are welcome to attend to learn more about
Announcing the 2009 Escalator Pitch Competition
Announcing the 2009 Escalator Pitch Competition LaunchMemphis is pleased to announce a new competition aimed at developing and perfecting your “escalator pitch” — a modern twist on the elevator pitch idea. Whether you already have a business or just have an idea for one, articulating your idea is key to gaining customers. Not only will this competition help strengthen your pitch and improve sales, but you’ll also have the chance to win a prize package valued at over $10K!To enter the competition, simply create a 30-60 second video of your escalator pitch. Post it onto You Tube. Then register for the event by clicking on the following link, where you’ll be asked to provide the URL where you posted your video. The cost for entry is $20. Click here to register today! http://escalatorpitch.eventbrite.com/ The competition is open to all businesses with fewer than 25 employees. There will be seven finalists selected from the YOU TUBE videos submitted. Also, three at-large finanlists will be chosen from those who walk in the day of the competition. Each finalist will ride up an escalator with a judge to deliver a brief and relevant pitch about their company. The winner will be chosen by the judges. The $10K prize package includes consulting packages from area sales and marketing specialists, as outlined below, as well as $1000 cash! Marketing & Research Counsel – marketing research package (10 hours of consultation) Second to Nunn Design – logo/identity/print design package (10 hours of design work) Valeo Design & Marketing – web design
An Insider View of Bioscience Entrepreneurship: Successful Case Studies
A Panel Discussion Moderator: Jan Bouten, Executive Director, TECWorks, A Memphis Bioworks Organization Panel Participants: · Bob Bean, President and CEO, Transnetyx · Preston H. Dorsett, Ph.D., Executive in Residence, INNOVA · Daryl Newman, CEO, CAGENIX Thursday, October 8, 2009 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Fogelman Executive Center, The University of Memphis 330 Innovation Drive, Memphis, TN 38152 $25 online registration – includes parking $35 on-site registration Space is limited. Register now at www.bioworksbusiness.com SPONSORED BY: Adams Keegan The Memphis Bioworks Business Association was created to advance the bioscience industry in the Memphis region through three core areas: education, professional networking and advocacy. The association will provide industry specific information and programs to increase knowledge and provide a platform for collaboration and communication between industry professionals.
Startup Weekend Memphis Reunion on Thursday August 27th
This past Thursday at the Startup Weekend Reunion, at EmergeMemphis downtown, five new enterprises presented the progress they’ve made in the first 3 months since Startup Weekend. Two of these businesses have managed to achieve revenue and all five were able to report on valuable lessons learned. Furthermore, at the reunion, several members of the group were recognized for their contributions to Startup Weekend. The Roll Play allows users to collaborate in interactive storytelling. It was awarded the title Business Most Likely to Succeed. Other distinctions from the night were awarded to Mark Dinstuhl, Caitlin Woodward and Kevin Yancy celebrating their enthusiasm and contributions to Startup Weekend and their respective teams. Kevin Yancy, the founder of The Roll Play, who was recognized as the Participant of the Weekend stated, “The most inspiring thing about the Startup Weekend experience is the incredible pool of local talent.” Yancy credited his team’s successes to the relationships he formed with his fellow participants. Beyond the recognition, many of these entrepreneurs used the Reunion to share their ideas and build publicity for their growing concerns. Mark’s Menus provides a searchable online menu database for local restaurants. They outlined their use of Twitter and Facebook to promote their enterprise. On one occasion, a single tweet scored 43 hits to their website by offering free dinner to Twitter users who came to a tweetup. CheezyWeezy, a photo-sharing site that allows users to upload and rate pictures of cute kids, discussed their plans for recruiting users at local
Fall 2009 Schedule of Events
This is the Fall 2009 Schedule for LaunchMemphis. In keeping with our goal to support entrepreneurial action in the Mid-South, we have a unique set of events planned – a combination you won’t get anywhere else. We hope you will join us in growing a rich community and building new business ventures. This Fall Note that Global Entrepreneurship Week is November 16th through 22nd and we will have a series of concentrated events together with other entrepreneurship support organizations in our city. Boot Camp: Build and Refine Your Business Plan August 15th, 2009 and August 22nd, 2009 Location: EmergeMemphis For more information: http://www.launchmemphis.com/2009/07/21/launchmemphis-bootcamp-august-15-22/ For registration: http://bootcamp2009.eventbrite.com/ The LaunchMemphis Boot Camp is an intense, two session course in entrepreneurship that will dramatically boost your chances of seeing your dream become a reality. Professionals will offer advice on all aspects of starting, successfully running, and gaining funding for your new venture. Join us at EmergeMemphis for two exciting days that will answer all your questions and put you on the right track for success in whatever business you are trying to start! Startup Weekend Reunion August 27th, 2009 5:30pm to 7:30pm Location: EmergeMemphis, 516 Tennessee Street, Memphis, TN 38103 Tickets and Information: http://suwmem2reunion.eventbrite.com/ This is a chance for past participants of StartUp Weekend I & II to mix, mingle and hear updates on ideas generated during SUW. Expect updates from: The Roll Play, Mark’s Menus, Rezzie, GameWav Media, and CheezyWeezy. Others in the community are welcome to attend to learn more about
LaunchMemphis and Butler Snow Present: Business Plan BootCamp August 15th & 22nd
“Great job!!! Thanks for this fantastic opportunity; it came at a time when i really needed some direction and advice on how to proceed.” -past BootCamp participant LaunchMemphis Business Plan Boot Camp Sponsored by Butler, Snow, O’Mara, Stevens and Cannada, PLLC August 15th and 22nd, 2009 At EmergeMemphis Tickets here: http://bootcamp2009.eventbrite.com/ For a new startup, the journey from an idea to a working, successful business is a confusing and dangerous one. Real, practical advice from objective outsiders can make all the difference in helping a fledgling venture reach its goal. LaunchMemphis is hosting the Business Plan Boot Camp: a two session experience where entrepreneurs will be given the tools they need for success. Experts from several fields will be on hand with hard-earned, practical advice, while attendees can get tailored feedback on their business plans in several break-out sessions. Topics will include: Business plan development Legal issues for entrepreneurs Marketing Financial considerations for entrepreneurs Gaining funding Finding investors Perfecting your pitch LaunchMemphis’ goal is to foster entrepreneurial growth within the Memphis community. The group is non-profit and the cost of the BootCamp is $60 for two days filled with insight (and lunch and materials!). The two sessions will take place on Saturday, August 15th and 22nd from 8:30 a.m. – 2:15 p.m. at the Mercury Launchpad located at: EmergeMemphis, Suite 133 516 Tennessee Street Memphis, TN 38103 For more information email Chris@LaunchMemphis.com or call (901) 628-4657. Be sure to grab your ticket here: http://bootcamp2009.eventbrite.com/
SUW MEM 2.0 Update
Hi All, I just wanted to give an update on the projects that came out of SUW Memphis 2. Again we had a great weekend with a lot of strong ideas coming out of the 48 hour event. Marks Menus pitched at the LaunchMemphis Investment forum and the roll play is really taking off. As a recap, we had 70 participants and we ended up with 5 projects. All projects are still progressing. Below is a summary of each idea and a recent update. Please get involved and join one or a few of these ideas. We are going to have our reunion on August 27th. The Roll Play The Roll Play (www.therollplay.com) is a new web system to allow students, writers, and others to build stories collectively with other members by assuming the role of a character of their own making. The members in effect make a “rolling” play or even a debate. The site is up and running with new differentiating functionality coming out weekly. The Roll Play is still progressing well. We have been live for 45 days and are up to 59 users. To date, 20 roll plays have been created, with the most active consisting of more than 200 posts.The originl group has been staying in touch through Twitter and the Roll Play Facebook page, but no formal business entity has been formed. I have primarily been responsible for implementing fixes and developing new features. The biggest challenge has been finding time to work on it while keeping